Hunt is on for yob who attacked pensioner as girl watched

A queue-jumping thug violently pushed the pensioner who confronted him to the ground - causing the OAP to need a hip-replacement operation

CAUGHT ON CAMERA: CCTV shows the suspect walking calmly away from the scene of the attack holding the hand of a young girl aged four or five. The assault victim needed a hip replacement operation.

A
queue-jumping thug attacked a pensioner at a bus stop – as a young
girl who was with him watched.

The elderly
victim was left with ‘life-changing’ injuries after the attack in
Piccadilly Gardens.

He was
waiting for a bus to Oldham with his wife when the man – who was
with a girl aged four or five – pushed in front of them. When the
pensioner challenged the man he was pushed violently in the chest.

He fell to
the ground and suffered a badly-fractured hip. He needed emergency
surgery and was given a hip replacement.

Police have
now released CCTV of the man they want to speak to about the attack,
which happened just before 4pm on Friday, February 1.

Det Con
Paul Wilde said: “This was a totally needless, shocking attack on
an elderly man who, as a consequence, has suffered a life-changing
injury.

“He has
been in good health all his life and now, after one moment of
madness, he is still in hospital recovering from hip replacement
surgery.

“What
makes this even more galling is that the victim and his wife were
simply minding their own business when this offender decided to barge
in front of them.

“Quite
rightly, the victim confronted him and was violently pushed over for
his troubles. It is an appalling incident and we need to find the man
responsible.” It is believed the suspect may live in the Collyhurst
area and there was a suspected sighting of him near Livesley Street.

He is
black, slim, in his mid 20s and about 5ft6 - 5ft7 tall. He was
wearing a black jacket.

The young
girl who was with him was wearing a distinctive blue flowery
raincoat.

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